Oppose Bullet Train, Congress tells Maharashtra government

Mumbai, Nov 1 (IANS) Terming the proposed Bullet Train project as yet “another bullet fired at the economy” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress’ Maharashtra unit on Wednesday asked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena to oppose the project which will not benefit the state.

In a statement, Congress state President Ashok Chavan said when 40 percent of the existing seats on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Mumbai sector are going vacant, what is the need for the expensive Bullet Train project which will have serious repercussions for the economy and the people of the country.

He was referring to RTI revelations to activist Anil Galgali pointing at the low occupancy on train seats on the Western Railway’s Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Mumbai sector which has caused a huge loss of nearly Rs 30 crore between July-September alone.

“Even earlier, the government has undermined the economy by demonetization and the implementation of Good & Services Tax (GST), and the Bullet Train proposal is an example of the wrong priorities of the government,” Chavan said.

He pointed out that to make the project viable, the Bullet Train would have to make at least 26 journeys on the sector with full capacity of 750 passengers, who would be required to cough out around Rs 3,500 per head.

Chavan said that with the current losses on this sector, the upcoming Bullet Train project would create a further mess of thousands of crores of rupees to the national economy and the Congress has already strongly opposed the project which will benefit Gujarat more than Maharashtra.